


Keep It Together

by Oblivion_Wanderer



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post 3x04, spoilers for 3x04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-09 01:25:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6883375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oblivion_Wanderer/pseuds/Oblivion_Wanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While traveling by boat, Caleb decides to find out what happened, why Anna asked Caleb to take her away. Anna needs someone to lean on, so she tells him her story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep It Together

**Author's Note:**

> I am in denial.
> 
> Spoilers for 3x04- 'Hearts & Minds'

The amount of time it's been since they left the shore, Anna can not tell. All was mist and shadows around her, as was her heart. The only sound was the oars dipping in and out of the water as they were rowed.

Anna sat to one side, looking down into the water. She could not see her reflection, not that she wanted to.

In the quiet of the night, she was still trying to convince herself she had done the right thing. Yes, she had managed to save the last person who cared- no, loved her. However, Anna knew she had also broken his heart in the process. On one hand, Hewlett was safe now from Abe, and Anna wanted nothing to do with that selfish man she no longer knew. On the other, she had lost her last chance at happiness, all because of Abe and Richard. She was so close and it slipped right through her fingers.

She couldn't stay there anymore, so she had Caleb take her away. Yet her heart still ached at knowing what she had done.

After a while, the distance unknown, the rowing of the oars stopped Anna glanced over at Caleb, to find him looking around before stepping over to her.

“I reckon no one's going to bother us out here.” He said, sitting down beside her. “Look... I'm not sure what happened, and I'm glad to see you too, but can you tell me?” When she didn't answer him, he continued. “When I got here, the only thing you said was 'take me away from here, please. I cannot stay'. Don't think I haven't noticed how you've been staring into the water so wistfully.”

Anna slowly turned her eyes to him. “There's nothing to talk about.”

He was quiet for a moment, but then put his arm around her shoulders. Anna didn't try moving away.

“We grew up together, Annie. We've been friends since we were kids. You can talk to me, speak your mind. I'll listen.”

It was a shred of comfort that was able to reach her. She felt some measure of safety with her friend... just like she had with Hewlett.

Just when she thought she couldn't cry anymore, her shoulders tensed and a sob tore itself from her chest.

“Anna? Oh, Anna...” Caleb pulled her close, doing his best to comfort her.

At the very lease, she could tell him. What else did she have left to lose now?

She sniffled and tried to pull herself together. “I... I didn't mean for this to happen.” She heard Caleb start to say something but she cut him off. “It was Abe's idea to befriend him, convincing me to do that.”

“Befriend who?” Caleb asked quietly.

“Major Hewlett.” She forced out. “Edmund.”

God, even saying his name was another painful twist in her heart.

“I did because I was aware of... his affections for me. But then... then things changed and I... I saw him for more than just the red coat. He's more than a solider. Edmund is someone with life and honor and kindness- he never wanted to be here!” Tears sprung from her eyes again, stinging. “Our friendship became more than just that...”

Anna felt Caleb's hand move to her back, rubbing it to try and calm her. “Does, uh, this have something to do with your protests against Abe killin' him?”

She nodded. “Yes. When Edmund was taken by continental solders, I screamed out for him, and kept vigil at Whitehall. That was when I first began to question what he was to me. When he came back, I... I was so overjoyed. Then Abe came back, and-” She paused, shuddering at the memory. “That was his first attempt on Hewlett's life, but I went to Mary and she stopped him.”

Caleb shook his head. “Dumb bastard- didn't even appreciate I shaved off my beard to get him out of prison.”

“Abe said Edmund was a threat to our ring.”

“I know; I heard what he said last time we spoke.”

“I thought that if I stayed close to Edmund, Abe could not do anything, and I did not want him to hurt someone I had come to care about- someone who cared and treasured me and fought for my safety. He survived so much last year, and...” She leaned her head against Caleb. “He didn't deserve this. I shouldn't have done it.”

“What happened?” Caleb whispered.

“One day Edmund confessed that he loved me, and after we spoke at the dead drop I met back up with Edmund and he... he kissed me. He spoke such kind words to me which I have not heard in a long time, and it made me feel loved and safe.” She took a deep breath and prepared herself for what she was going to say next. “We were to be married. I forged a letter from Selah for terms of divorce.”

Caleb had gone still next to her, and Anna wondered, _'What must he think of me now that he knows the truth? What must Edmund think of me for what I did?'_

After a long moment, Caleb asked. “I'm gonna take a wild stab and say the wedding didn't go as planned?”

Anna shook her head. “Abe must have found out about the wedding from Edmund, and Abe told Richard about the letter I forged. Richard brought it up as grounds for objection. I implicated Edmund because I knew then we'd never be safe and this was the only way to save him. Why he said yes I don't know.” Anna remembered the hurt clearly visible in his eyes, how he regretfully said yes and left the room. She couldn't take it and left herself after. “I suppose by this time tomorrow he'll have left Setauket.”

She could hear Caleb sigh, and then, in a quiet soft voice she hadn't heard in a long time, he asked her the inevitable.

“Did you love him?”

She trembled at hearing the word, but she could no longer deny it.

“Yes... and I wanted to save his life. Marrying him was a logical and emotional decision, because I would not see Abe kill an innocent man- damn if he knows about the ring! He promised to let Abe go free with his family!” She put her head in her hands. “This is my fault. I should have known Abe would not stop. I should have warned Hewlett and told him the truth.”

“But you'd be revealing yourself as a spy-”

“He probably knew. He knows Abe is part of the ring, and given my history it would be easy for him to figure it out. If he knew, he hid it well. He said... he said there was nothing I could do to shame him.” His smile flashed across her mind, memories of the night by the fire where they first kissed. How he stood up for her when Richard found out about their engagement. “He said he trusted me, and I broke his heart!”

Anna wanted to go back in time and stop herself from making that grave error; warn him instead of what she had done.

'Forgive me' Hewlett had whispered to her with tears in his eyes before he walked away, and probably out of her life. Anna didn't fully understand that. Forgive him? Why should he say that when Anna knew she was the one that should be begging for forgiveness? She was at fault here, not him.

“Christ... you've been through some real shit, Annie.” Caleb said. “I understand where Abe is coming from, and he's one of my best friends, but I don't think he was right to strike you so personally like this. No one has the right to intrude on your happiness.”

She raised her head. “Do you understand now why I asked this of you?”

“Aye, I think I got the basics. I'm sorry this happened to you, really. And this is not your fault; who could have known? You didn't know you'd fall in love.”

“I suppose so...”

“Hey, you know, I never really liked Abe's dad. Too uptight- law this, law that.”

Surprisingly, Anna found herself quietly laughing at that. Caleb never failed to make her laugh.

She rubbed her eyes to get rid of any remaining tears. “I wonder if he hates me now after what I did.”

“Who, the Major? Who knows, but from what you just told me, I think he was head over heels for you. If he stood by you when you were accused of forgery and you implicated him, I think there's love there. His words were not false, I don't believe.”

“I wonder if I'll ever see him again.” Anna said, looking out to the water.

“Well, you can always write to him.” Caleb suggested. “If he's really leaving, I imagine it's going to take some time for him to get everything in order.”

She looked back at him. “I...” She wanted to, tell him everything. Instead of running away she should have explained herself to Edmund. “But how will we get it to him? If he's still in town by that time and you deliver it by the dead drop- if Abe sees it-”

“We'll work around that. We'll find a way.” He smiled at her, one of those cheeky smiles he liked. “But,” He laughed nervously. “We might have to anyway.”

“Why?”

“Because our trap for Simcoe... failed. He's alive.”

Anna felt cold. “And he'll go back to Setauket. He'll know Edmund sent him into a trap.” Through the sadness of their broken wedding, she felt fear rise for Hewlett. Even after all this it still wasn't enough. “We have to warn him!”

“Not now. We can't do anything at this moment.”

“But we can-”

“Go back?” Caleb interrupted. “You said it yourself that there's nothing there for you and you know I can't go there ether.”

“Then... then what do we do?” Anna demanded.

“We think of a plan; you, me, and Ben. We'll think of a way to warn Abe and Hewlett.”

Yes, of course. They still needed to think about the safety of the ring, but if this would help keep Hewlett alive, she'd take it.

Anna would use any means necessary.

“Maybe...” He smiled again. “We can get you reunited with your good man too.”

Hope flared in Anna's chest. She had felt sorrow ever since Richard stated the objection and she sacrificed it all to save Hewlett. Knowing that he was still in danger now, she would work with her friends to save him. She had too keep it together, for his sake.

It was all she could do.

“Get some rest. We still got a ways to go.” Caleb said, returning to the oars. “I'll wake you when we get on land.”

Anna looked up at the sky, wondering if Hewlett was looking at the same one right now.

_'I'll make it up to you, I'll tell you everything. Even if you won't forgive me, I forgive you, and I will save you.'_

Suddenly she had a thought and she looked back to Caleb.

“Will I get to meet General Washington?”

He shrugged. “Probably. You'll like him. And don't worry, you'll be welcomed at camp.”

At least that was something to look forward to.

 

* * *

 

Anna looked like she was going to fall asleep on her feet by the time they got to camp. Caleb could tell that this ordeal she'd been put through had exhausted her and she needed rest. She insisted on writing a letter back to Hewlett when they stepped into camp, but Caleb said she needed rest first.

He found her an empty tent near his own and Ben's, and by their luck, said friend found them.

“Anna?” Ben asked, shocked. “What are you doing here?”

She didn't say anything, just walked up and hugged him tight. She pulled away after a moment and slipped into the tent.

“Rest, Anna. Send for us if you need anything.” Caleb said into the tent before returning to Ben's side. “We should probably go tell Washington about this, tell him another member of the ring is here.”

Ben nodded, but as they walked along he asked. “Caleb, why is she here? Did something happen?”

“She's been through the wringer, let me tell you.”

“Did something happen in Setauket?”

“She got her heart broken and had to break someone else's, that's what.”

Ben looked surprised. “What... what happened?”

Caleb clapped Ben on the back. “I'll tell you later if she lets me. Right now let's go inform Washington that she's here. Oh, and one other thing- we need to start making a plan. We might have bigger problems that concerns the ring.”

 


End file.
